Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Sorenson vs. Appel

Sorensen vs. Appel

Craig Robinson at Iowa Republican has a must read as first-term State Rep. Kent Sorenson announces a state senate challenge to Staci Appel. (Note to my Dem friends: no one ever feeds me scoops like this...)

I guess that means Sorenson isn't going to primary Chuck Grassley. Yep, Sorenson is that breed of Republican, a "Chuck Grassley's too liberal" type. So he'll no doubt be running against Justice Appel as much as Senator Appel. (And as we saw in House 90, people have lots of stuff other than gay marriage on their minds.)

This could also mean a comeback attempt by Democrat Mark Davitt, who Sorenson knocked off in a 2008 upset.

Most interesting part of Robinson's article is at the end:

Sorenson’s announcement is a big boost in the arm for Senate Republicans and their recruiting effort. His decision, however, is bad news for House Minority Leader Kraig Paulsen, who already has to deal with some key retirements. Paulsen and House Republicans already have their work cut out for them in needing to win seven seats to wrestle control away from the Democrats in that chamber.

In addition to Sorenson leaving to run for the Senate, Representatives Rants and Roberts are running for governor, and Jodi Tymeson isn’t seeking re-election. That means House Republicans would have to elect 11 new members to gain control, a difficult task even in the best of political environments.

Recall that in 2008 the Iowa GOP scuttled a lot of other efforts at end game and concentrated on the House, the only thing the felt they had a shot at winning. In the early stages of 2010, it looks like they're throwing everything they have at the governor instead. (I'm still betting they blow that by nominating Vander Plaats...)